francis and his lights are inextricably linked with friend and collaborator bon iver, for better or worse. it’s debatable how much of this connection can be attributed to critical lumping, a common thread/style resulting from mutual collaboration, and intention (i mean, he released this record four days before the release of 22, a million, they’re both just over 30 minutes long, etc…), but the link is there.
as such, that link drives the conversation. but so does effort. a defining characteristic of both of these artists is painstaking care in their craft, which seems like a exaggerated narrative cliché to introduce – putting out music in the first place requires a passion and bravery that should be applauded at every turn, and 2016 Music, for all of its eccentricities, is far from lacking in passion and care. however, from the time taken between albums, to each record’s precise production, to the hieroglyphs of 22, to francis’s choreography and (at times, frustrated) perfectionism in live and video performances, these two artists dictate everything down to the most minute of details.
this produces a critical dichotomy between listeners. one end of the spectrum rolls their eyes at the incomprehensible tracklist of 22 and justin vernon’s experimentation, or criticizes their overt try-hard nature (“more like farewell, bon iver-lite! amirite” is an imaginary quote i made up for this kind of person). the other end of the spectrum decided at first note that they loved it, because they love bon iver, and “friends”, and some other francis songs they’ve heard, and will listen to this record when they listened to 22 and other extensions of the JV family tree too much. the answer, as it so often does, finds itself somewhere in that vascillating middleground between poles. so, here i am on my soapbox: your guide to the correct reading of the fogged-up musical barometer.
lol nope. i can only throw so many qualifiers, comparisons to bon iver that i’m trying to separate my own thinking from unsuccessfully, and symbols of album rating (notice “dichotomy”, “spectrum”, “poles”, and “barometer”?) out there before i have to actually discuss the actual album all of this is supposed to be about. to which, at this premature point, i can only say that there are certainly moments that validate each lens the listener looks at farewell, starlite! from.
the good: early singles “friends” and “see her out (that just life)” proved their shine – lights pun not intended – on their own pre-album-release, and also here in sequence. “may i have this dance” is a sincere and uplifting ballad of forgiveness and acceptance (“may I have this dance / to make it up to you / can I say something crazy / i love you”). “comeback” seems like it will be a fun one to belt out, which is especially interesting when juxtaposed with its sputtering production. the outro to “thank you” was written by chance the rapper.
the meh: “my citys gone”, despite kanye’s gorgeous crooning, uses too much of that lukas graham age-reminiscence schtick. “it’s alright to cry / it might make you feel better babe” seems like low hanging lyrical fruit, but i think i like the simplicity anyway.
the unfair for me to point out: the electronic tilt is clearly safer and less unique than on 22, an album that transcends this one, quality-wise, in an immediately apparent way. “running man” isn’t “10 deathbreast” or frank ocean’s “forrest gump”. “i want you to shake” doesn’t have a prince guitar solo.
i am aware that this is more of a rumination on fanhood, artist collaboration, pros/cons, and their implications on the reception of an album than it is an album review. i quite enjoy the album. this is just how my mind works.
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